Law_Girl

Here's my situation: I've taken the LSAT twice already and scored a 152 and 154. I decided to work for a year so now I have yet another chance to take the test. I really think I can do much better - I've just had really bad luck so far.

How many times can you take the LSAT? Will schools look at the highest score or will they average them?

Logged

Bernice

They average the scores. By the way, I wouldn't take the test a third time, unless you have something drastic happen to your mental state at the two previous times you took the test.Nevertheless, good luck to you.

Actually there are about 36 schools that take the highest score, and about the same number average, the rest go on a case by case basis. Taking it three times is a bad idea though. Schools will really look down on a third test, unless you score over 160, and even then it might not take away from the fact that you took it three times. I scored the same as you did on my two tests. I know I can do better and plan on taking the LSAT again but I will be taking a Kaplan course before hand. What I have decided to do is work for four years, doing interesting work, including a stint in the peace corps, and retaing the test then. This way more than five years will pass since my last LSAT score. The LSAC deletes scores five years old. This is the only way to get by the scores you have right now.

The actual number (maximum) allowed is no moe than three times in a 2 year period, and that includes canceled scores as well. I do agree though that the LSAT should be only taken twice unless both times prior had extenuating circumstances that imparied you testing performance. However keep thisin mind and good luck, LSAC also gives law schools a score band (this a scaled range and the more times you take the LSAT the more narrow that band then becomes) an example is you said you scored the first time at 152 the band shows 3 to 4 points above and below what you got in order to give you the proper consideration that is necassary when looking at those who may be slightly batter in numbers the appear the same to the law school (only in the score band) in order to get to the meat of your application and not just rely on your numbers so your band would be the first time 148-155 meaning althoug the 148 is ncluded (to help those in that range) it also helps you by boosting your competitiveness to 155 despite only having a 152. That point difference can make be the difference between acceptance and rejection depending on the quality of the numbers.

Now since you have written a second time your score will be averaged (with exception to the 36ish schools that grant the higher LSAT score in this case they probably do not use a score band because this already evens the playing field ) and refelct not a 154 or 152 but a 153 (obviously) anyway now look at the range it is no longer 4 ponts above (and below) what you got it is now 2 (max) making it 155-151 (see the dilema if you do not score signifigantly different your band score max is the same for your first and second time which makes the system pretty accurate) then a third time would probaly range the band 1 point so say you get a 155 then youwould average 154 with a range of the same again 155-153 make sense. The change in score bands gets more narrow becasue the predicatability as you continue to retest becomes higher based on the evidence of your scores. But a first time test taker is given a lot of leeway because one can get lucky the first time and also can do unforsenably horrible this large and more unpredictable initial score band is therefore wider (4 points as opposed to 3,2, or even 1). My advice stick with your AVG unless you plan on upping your score at least 10 points in order to up the given average (and score band range) to law schools. I was told about the score band by a prep course so I do not know how accurate this information is but it sound pretty structed and it makes sense considering that the SAT also does this. (when you got your score report say you got a 1200 there would be three three lines, your raw score your scaled score and then a range you fall into that is a little higher and lower than what you got (a score band) like 1190-1210 this was offered for quite the same reasons except they were given to universities instead of law schools, obviously).

Sory to blab on and on but I needed to clarify this, so that Law_Girl understood how detrimental a third test might be, or that her initla score and avg score is ultimately better than she thought.